How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media to Meet Goals

When to-do lists run long, social media management is often one of the first things to fall off a busy nonprofit team’s plate. While it’s crucial to stay focused on organizational strategy, building and maintaining a social media presence is a tactic that can help your nonprofit successfully execute that big-picture strategy and meet next-level goals.

Social media may seem small-reaching, especially if you’re still working to build a following, but with consistent, engaging content, it has limitless potential. How can social media make an impact? We’ve rounded up the top ways our clients use social media to make things happen:

1. Share your story
Storytelling is a powerful communication tool. Humans are wired to relate and respond to stories, so sharing your organization’s story—and the stories of the communities and lives you touch—creates empathy and motivates your followers to take action.

2. Build brand awareness
Social media is an effective tactic for those brand awareness goals. Why? Your brand’s voice meets your audience where they already are, where they’re already looking for information, entertainment, news. And social media allows for high posting frequency, so you can post as often as you need (even multiple times a day) to increase awareness.

3. Recruit more volunteers
Your social media followers are supporters of your organization. They’ve raised their hands by clicking “like.” Communicate your volunteer opportunities and show them how volunteering can truly make a difference.

4. Boost your fundraising efforts
With the ease of clicking to donate or sharing a cause with friends, social media is made for fundraising. Use it to support a larger, multi-channel fundraising initiative, or have it play center stage for a special campaign. Grab enough people’s attention and you could even go viral!

5. Increase website visitors
Drive followers from social media to your website in one short click. Post links to compelling blog content, important announcements, information on upcoming events or ways to get involved. Use copy that really entices them to click through.

6. Execute cost-effective promotions
Social media costs start at virtually zero (or just the expense of managing it). For a modest fee, you can gain additional reach and pull in non-followers with boosted posts, sponsored posts, and targeted ads. Our clients Ribfest Chicago and Square Roots use social media to spread the word about their in-person festival events.

7. Gain audience insights
Audience demographics allow organizations to carefully target social media campaigns and gain audience insights on the back end. Find out exactly who is engaging with your content and identify the best ways to connect with that group.

8. Grow membership engagement
Social media is all about community, connection, and communication—it’s about being social. Create content that sparks conversations and shows them they are more than a name and profile photo in your organization’s eyes. Encourage your followers to become engaged and involved. These important members are already spending time on social media. It’s time for your organization to talk, listen, and carve out space for a virtual community to grow.

With so many demands on your time, it can be difficult to maintain your social media channels, too. At Big Buzz Idea Group, we know that social media helps nonprofits make an impact, but we also know that leadership must stay focused on strategy, programming and fundraising, which leaves little time for communications and social media development. Let the team at Big Buzz Idea Group help you develop a social media plan to keep your nonprofit active online.